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Belaying from the top, why the mess?

Original Post
Sam Stephens · · PORTLAND, OR · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 1,090

One thing I noticed on my trip to the Gunks was that everyone and their mom had a minimum of one, if not two or three cordelettes wrapped up on their harness for building anchors.

Ok I understand some people like cordelette, but at the top of the cliff, after climbing 5.6, why the need to build a three point anchor off three burly trees? Has KISS been lost as a principle? Why don't more people (when feasible) just un-tie, straight line off a tree and clove the belay device to the rope? Simple, fast, bomber.

camhead · · Vandalia, Appalachia · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 1,240
Sam Stephens wrote:...on my trip to the Gunks...
That's your answer right there. No bigger gumbie fest in the world than the Gunks. They were probably putting their harnesses on in the parking lot, too.
Sam Stephens · · PORTLAND, OR · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 1,090
camhead wrote: That's your answer right there. No bigger gumbie fest in the world than the Gunks. They were probably putting their harnesses on in the parking lot, too.
That may have been the first thing I noticed. Great crowd for being mostly Yankees though.
camhead · · Vandalia, Appalachia · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 1,240

Yeah, its just similar to how life works in NYC in a lot of ways. Very crowded, kind of annoying, lots of idiots just by virtue of the numbers, but the people are friendly one-on-one and really work with the crowds well. And, the great thing is, if you get on something harder than 10a, you will rarely ever wait in line.

I do think that the tendency of Gunkies to flaunt how hard and tradass their area is, is kind of annoying.

Gunks

Scott McMahon · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,425
camhead wrote:They were probably putting their harnesses on in the parking lot, too.
Anyone that has done multipitch with a tiny leady pack has done this IMO. I do it at Eldo or anywhere else I'm trying to keep my loads small when walking in.

And I'm sure it's overkill, but the last thing I'd criticize a climber about is being too safe.
Sam Stephens · · PORTLAND, OR · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 1,090

Wasn't trying to criticize safety. I guess it's just different strokes. I don't see one as safer than the other.

camhead · · Vandalia, Appalachia · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 1,240
Scott McMahon wrote: Anyone that has done multipitch with a tiny leady pack has done this IMO. I do it at Eldo or anywhere else I'm trying to keep my loads small when walking in. And I'm sure it's overkill, but the last thing I'd criticize a climber about is being too safe.
Nick Stayner · · Wymont Kingdom · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 2,315
camhead wrote:I do think that the tendency of Gunkies to flaunt how hard and tradass their area is, is kind of annoying.
"Tradass"- that's a great one! Funny graphic too.
Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492

Lots of reasons to carry a cordelette: gear anchors, slinging B.A. trees, setting up a haul for the second who fell off e.g. Modern Times, prusiking back on when the leader falls off, cutting up to back up a manky rap station.

I suspect a lot of folks carry one for one of these reasons, but then they carry a second so they still have all their options open even if their first belay used a cordelette.

But I can't see carrying THREE. Don't think I've ever seen this, to be honest.

ROC · · Denver, CO · Joined Feb 2003 · Points: 155

Guilty. I have carried three cords in the past...and been mocked for it at the crag. I worked as a guide for a few seasons and three were necessary in my eyes for multi-pitch guiding:

1. For the bottom anchor your client is tied into
2. For the top anchor you will bring them up on
3. For any type of rescue intereventions that may be necessary; hauling, belay escape, counter-weight rappel, etc... (it's amazing what you can do with a some cord)

For recreational climbing...make your partner carry one.

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065

i dont worry about how many cord other people carry .... it has utterly no effect on my climbing ;)

Buff Johnson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2005 · Points: 1,145

The thing with three big ass trees, you never know when you need to anchor a battleship. And, if there is anything that is constant, people from New York need to be ready to create and dramatize any disaster, or Los Angeles, or Texas -- well maybe Texas doesn't really give a crap, but anyway.

I'm just sayin' when Manhattan floods from the storm and the aliens invade, our navy will need a quick pivot anchor off of the clifftop to fire from and destroy the heathen beasts.

(still no sign of Mr Bigglesworth, btw. Yeah, when it's a dog everyone is stumbling over themselves to spray the web, clamor for endorsements, do the talk show circuit, etc. -- but a cat, you're totally fucked)

Jonas Salk · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 10

Why does everyone at the Gunks have their ATC on a sling when they rap?

Buff, is your cat missing? That sucks. I know sometimes peoples cats leave for a while, possibly to save the world, then they come back. I hope your cat comes home safe and sound.

Jeremy Riesberg · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 5

If you extend your ATC when you rap it makes it so you can't invert yourself if something stupid happens, also makes it easier to set up your prusik backup.

CDub · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 5
Jonas Salk wrote:Why does everyone at the Gunks have their ATC on a sling when they rap?
I do this everywhere. Gives more room for the hands and control on descent, IMO. Those who use rappel backups (I rarely do) have the added advantage of being able to put the autoblock on the belay loop and not get it sucked into the device.
Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711
Nick Stayner wrote: "Tradass"- that's a great one! Funny graphic too.
Truely a great one!

I gotta make it my own now...
kilonot · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 0
Jonas Salk wrote:Why does everyone at the Gunks have their ATC on a sling when they rap? Buff, is your cat missing? That sucks. I know sometimes peoples cats leave for a while, possibly to save the world, then they come back. I hope your cat comes home safe and sound.
It's the Petzl recommended method. Autobloc doesn't interfere with device and works as a tether.

petzl.com/files/all/en/acti…
Medic741 · · Des Moines, IA (WTF) · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 265

Uh... I carry 2 here's why

1 for anchor (or 1 reall long sling)
2nd for rescue/hauling (5mm). mostly climb w new climbers so like to be able to fix something if my climber needs help

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520

It was my first trip to the Gunks last weekend and about the most complicated thing I saw was a guy that used two separate tree anchors to belay from the top in the Near Trapps. He used the second, further anchor as a redirectional, which was funny since he could have just used that tree as his main and redirectional. Oh, well.

CDub · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 5
Stich wrote:It was my first trip to the Gunks last weekend and about the most complicated thing I saw was a guy that used two separate tree anchors to belay from the top in the Near Trapps. He used the second, further anchor as a redirectional, which was funny since he could have just used that tree as his main and redirectional. Oh, well.
People do hilariously anal shit there, don't they.
Ryan Williams · · London (sort of) · Joined May 2009 · Points: 1,245

Agree w/ camhead's comments about the Gunks. It's a bit of a shit show. Still a great climbing area though.

When I rap I clip directly to my belay loop. I often use an autoblock as a backup. Clip it to my leg loop w/ a locker and keep it below the device. It never gets sucked into my ATC.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
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